Inay Filipino Kitchen in San Francisco, California

There's an unassuming Filipino food bar at the Metreon by the Yerba Buena Gardens in San Francisco, California. Inay Filipino Kitchen is sure to bring back good old memories of a doting mother. One whose way of showing she cares is through her cooking. And that's what Inay Filipino Kitchen is about: Pinoy comfort food.

I was hungry after my scheduled interview during one of my visits to San Francisco. I made sure to try some Filipino food in San Francisco. I chanced upon Inay Filipino Kitchen which showed up nearest from my location on search.

Most Filipino restaurants that I know only serve dishes whose origins are from Luzon. To my surprise, the first thing I noticed is bam-i. Bam-i is a noodle dish largely unheard of in Luzon. But it is popular in the Visayas and Mindanao, particularly in Cebu. Their menu is also diversified with dishes mostly from Luzon and a few from the Visayas. They have pork sisig, boneless lechon liempo, grilled bangus belly, pork sinigang, chicken tinola, chicken adobo, pork adobo, and pork menudo.

I ordered their 2-entree combination plate : pancit bam-i, grilled bangus belly, and Bicol express. Cost of that is USD 11.95 prior to taxes being applied. For my big appetite, I couldn't finish it. The serving is good for at least 2 people with an average appetite.

Grilled bangus belly, pancit bam-i, Bicol express

The taste? The bam-i wasn't extraordinary as I've had better. The Bicol express is good. It is not as spicy as I expected it to be. But just enough spice to still retain the characteristics of the Bicolano dish. The grilled bangus belly is amazing. It was cooked just right with the right blend of spices. I did not even need vinegar and soy sauce for it.